Friction-clutch.



PATENTED JAN. 14, 19 08.

B. M. W. HANSON. FRICTION CLUTCH. APPLICATION FILED APR 25, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

eff wm M w No. 876,548. PATENTED JIAN.14, 1908. B. M. W. HANSON.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

1PLIGATION FTLED APR 25 1906 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fnventar: fifMW/lansan fi y/uivflddior'lle' I occurring between .vices known as any suitablem'eans either sary to make the included angle between the come lodged between the friction-surfaces mm STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENGT M. W. HANSON, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO PRATT & WHITNEY COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FRICTION-CLUTCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed. April 25. 1906. Serial No. 313-536- No. 876,543. Patented J an. 14, 1908.

To all whom it may Concerni vertical section Be it known that I, BENGT 1 represents a longitudinal M. W. HANsoN, of one formof mechanism a citizen of Sweden, having declared my intention of becoming acitizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have, invented certain new and useful Improve-- ments in Friction Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clutches, and more particularly to that class of such defriction-clutches.

In one form these clutches consist of an. external member having an inclined internal wall adapted to receive an inner member having an oppositely inclined external periphery. VVhenbrought forcibly together by member may act as a drive, as the case may be, to cause the other member and the element connected thereto to rotate. Heretofore in the ordinary constructions it has been found neces- 3 are end and sectional viewsof one form of the clutch; and Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views, illustrating how adherence is prevented when foreign matter works its way engaging-surfaces.

Like numerals design ate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a shaft having a bore 2 in which is inserted a tube 3 of less diameter than said bore, said shaft to be rotatably mounted in any suitable frame or support. (Not shown.) Rigid with the shaft are collars 4 and 5 and on said shaft is loosely mounted a fluidconnection collar 6 threaded at 7 to receive a stationary conduit 8, and having a port 9, communicating with the bore '2 of shaft 1. Exterior to the collar 5 is another loose fluid-connection collar 10, ported at 11 to communicate with tube 3, and having an ininclined or beveled friction-surfaces of each ternally threaded socket 12 to receive the member at least thirty degrees, to prevent end of a stationary conduit 13, the conduits such binding against release as would occur 8 and 13 leading to a suitable source of if-a smaller angle were provided, and confluid-supply and being controlled by valvesequently force greater than that usually mechanism constituting no part of the presprovided for the intended operation of the ent invention. clutch is required to separate the two mem- Fitted on the shaft 1 with its outer end bers. Half the included angle, or that against the collar 4 is a the shaft and frictionthreaded 'on said shaft is a thrust-collar 15 surface of each member would be fifteen deagainst which the end of said bushing abuts. grees,whichis the least angle safe to rely upon Keyed to the shaft 1 adjacent to the inner readily to disengage the surfaces. From side of thethrust-collar 15 is a disk 16 having the above statement it will be,obvious that openings 17 for the rece tion of the barrels should chips or particles of dust or dirt be- 18" of screw-bolts 18, t e threaded shanks 18 of which are inserted ed sockets 19 of a friction-disk 20. But one of these screw-bolts is shown in Fig. 1 and the barrel 18 of each bolt will be of slightly greater length than that of the bore in the disk 16, so that there will be no lateral binding of the friction-disk 20 against the disk 16. Fitted in other bores 21 of the disk 16 are pins 22 the heads'of which are of slightly less diameter than said bores, while the shanks 22 are driven into openings 16 in said disk. On its peripheral surface the friction-disk 2.0 is inclined at 23 to an angle of about fifteen degrees (15) which is found in practice at any point the binding-action would occur in the small angle between the shaft and said friction-surface, and if this angle were less than fifteen degrees objectionable adherence would take place.

Primarily the object of the invention is to provide a friction-clutch constructed. to ad'- mit of its engaging-surfaces being formed at a much more efficient angle than has been practical in clutches of ordinary design.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a clutch having one member so mounted that no binding-action can take place except between the friction-surfaces. 1 Other objects of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure gles capable of use in a high-speed gear of this class of devices.

Keyedyto the shaft 1 is a bushing '24 between the bushing 14, while in internallythread' with which the improvement may be employed. .Figs.-2 and to be one of the best holding or gripping anat its end opposite the overhang 26 .is a

e wall of which is inclined at V chamber 28, t 29 to receive the clutch-surface 23 of disk 16., and in said body are also formed pockets 30 for the reception of springs 31 and hollow plungers 32 hearing at their closed ends against the side of the friction-disk 20.

Designated by 33 is a disk keyed to the shaft, and provided with a threaded periphery 34 inclined clutch-surfaces 35, 35 and a chamber 36, 36 at each' side and with inclined passages 37 and 37, one communicating with a assage 38, leading to the tube 3, and the other with a assage 38 leading to the bore 2 of said sha t.

Threaded upon one side of the disk 33 is a collar 39 having an inclined circumferential inner wall 39 located; opposite the inclined clutch-surface 35 ofthe sk 33, and clamped between these inclined surfaces is the edge of a flexible diaphragm 40. mounted at its axis on the shaft 1 between the flange 24 of bush-- ing 24, and the side of the disk 33. A like flexible diaphragm 41 is mounted in the same manner upon the shaft 1 at the other side of; the disk 33, and it is clamped at its edge to said disk by a collar 42 having an inclinedsurface 42 located opposite the inclined clutch-surface 35 of said disk.

' A flanged bushing 43 is keyed to the shaf 1,. and upon this bushing is loosely mounted a driven element 44 (shown as a worm-wheel) having a hub 45 provided at its inner end with aslightly-rounded or convex clutch-sur face 46. A chamber 47 is formed in the element 44, thus producing an overhanging rim 48 provided with an inclined inner wall or clutch-surface 49 having an angle of about eleven degrees (11) or thereabouts, which will be efl'icient in a slow speed-gear. In this element 44 are sockets 50 for the reception of hollow lungers 51 and s rings 52, and beneath tfie overhanging dlutch-surface 48 is a disk 53 having an inclined-surface 53 of the same angle as the com lemental surface'49. Holes 54 are forme in the disk 53 for the reception of pins 55 projecting from an element 56 (shown as a bevel-gear-wheel) keyed to the shaft 1, said pins being of slightly less diameter than the oles 54 in the disk so that a limited amount of play of the disk maytake place. A washer 57 is placed on the shaft 1 between the end of the hub of the element. 56 and the extremity of the bushing 43.

Passages 58 in part 25, and 59 in part 45 permit of the escape of air when the diainto the bore2 of shaft 1 it will enter the passage 37-38' and will distend thediaphragm- 41, forcing it against the side of the overhanging clutch surface 46 and crowding the element 44 along the shaft, thusengaging the same with the clutch-disk 53 in the manner described, locking said element to the rotary shaft 1, and compressing the springs 52, so that when pressure is cut oif'from said diaphragm the springs will force the element 44 slightly backward and will release the clutchsurfaces 49 and 53. When said clutch surfaces are in full engagement thelost-motion between the pins 55 and the walls of the apertures 54, is ineffective, but when said surfaces recede from each other, and should foreign matter become lodged between them, the disk 53 will move slightly toward the shaft 1, the disengagement being readily accomplished by the springs in the manner described, or by other suitable means unneeessary to mention.

' By employingclutch-engaging surfaces inclined at the low angle described or thereabouts, full holding power of said surfaces is assured, and should dirt or extraneous matter collect between said surfaces, as at 00 in the enlarged view Fig. 5, provision is made for thiscontingency by the slight play of one part with relation to the other part, so that there will be no danger of adherence when it is desired-to release the clutch-elements, as the pressure against the diaphragm is with drawn. On the side opposite the element 44. the same result is accomplished when pressure is cutoff from the diaphragm on said side.

While shown applied *to' special mechanism it is distinctly to be understood that the invention is generic and, therefore, unlimited in scope. substitutes for the diaphragms and fluid connections shown for actuating the slidingmember of the clutch, the invention not being limited in this respect. Furthermore the invention is not limited to a clutch having inclined engaging-surfaces of anyparticular anlgIle.

aving thus described my mvention, What I claim is 1 The combination, with a shaft, of an element keyed thereto, and having projections; a clutch-device having perforations of greater diameter than said pro ections whereby, play hragm shown, this being due 70 Any means may be employed a '115 support for said] member; a second clutchclutch-member in one direction; spring-controlled devices for actuating the clutch-member in the opposite direction; a second clutchmember; and means, whereby said second clutch-member may be afforded a yielding movement bodily in a line perpend'cular take place, and a driven member having a clutch-surfaceadapted to be engaged by said clutch-device.

2. The'combinatiomwith clutch-members, i one of which is movable toward and. from the other, and one of which is provided with per forations, of another member having projections of less diameter than said perforations; and means for actuating one of said clutchmembers toward and from the other clutchmember.

device havmg an of the projections in said perforations may l engaging surfaces are released.

7. The combination, with a shaft, and with an element keyed thereto, of pins projecting perforations of greater diameter than the pins, and adapted to receive said pins and to inclined engaging-surface; said device proyield thereon; asecond clutch-device; means vided with sockets; spring actuated plungers for causing the engagement of the two clutchin said sockets; a disk having a oompledevices; and means for releasing said clutch- Inental inclined engaging surface, andprodevices. vided with perforations; and a carrier for 8. The combination, with a shaft, of a de said disk having projections fitted in, and of l vice rigid therewith; clutch-elements carried less diameter than said perforations, whereby j by said device; a" disk having perforations the disk may yield bodily substantially as set for the reception of said elements, said disk being yieldable in a line perpendicular to the forth. a

' axis of the clutch; a movable clutch-mem- 3. A clutch comprising a 4. The combination, with a clutch-member having an inclined engaging-surface, of a said movable clutch-member. member having perforations; and a comple- 9. The combination, with a tubular shaft, mental inclined engaging-surface; a carrier and with a disk carried thereby; a shaft havfor said second clutch-member and yieldable "ing passages communicating with each other, bodily in a lineaway from the axis of said of a tube within the shaft; means whereby member; projections on the carrier, and of less diameter than the perforations of the second clutch-member; spring-actuated [plungers carried by one of the clutch-members; and means for causing a clutch engagement between the members. I

5. The combination, with a shaft, of a device keyed thereto; projections carried by said device; a clutch-member having opencured to each side of the disk; clutch-devices actuated by said diaphragms', one member of each clutch device being movable in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft; means for causing an engagement of the clutch-devices; and means for releasing said clutch-devices when the supply of motivefluid is withdrawn. y

'In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence .of two witnesses, at Hartford, Conn, this 12th day of April, 1906., r i

\ shaft; apair offlexible diaphragms, one seings of greater diameter than said projections and a clutch-member adapted to enga e the other clutch-member, one of said 0 utchmembers being movable bodily in a line perpendicular to the clutch-axis. r BENGT M. W. HANSON.

6. The combination, with a shaft, of a Witne sesi Q A clutch-member slidable with relation there- E. C. BENEDICT,"

to, fluid-pressure devicesfor actuating said S. E. Dms.

from said element; a clutchdevice havingber; and means for advancing and retracting l to the axis of the clutch when the, c utchmotive-fluid may be supplied to the tube and i 

